Can opener



y 1934- N. ANDERSON 58,654

CAN OPENER Filed May 19, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 15, 1934.

| N. ANDERSON 1 8, 54

CAN OPENER Filed May 19, 1933 2 Sheets-Shea? 2 a R h E 3 s N g; I r f f k w 51 i N I I h *3 i v Q 3 *4 1 &

I N W I ml Q, Q

Patented May 15, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a can opener adapted for a variety of uses, the tool preferably comprising a cutting can opener, adapted for use with cans of different diameters, a punch for making holes in the tops of cans containing liquid, a bottle cap remover, a tack or nail puller, screw drivers, a tack hammer, a cork screw, and means for gripping the screw top of a glass can or jar for opening or closing such screw top, all as will hereinafter be more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings Figs. 1 and 2 are top and bottom views respectively of the improved tool. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same looking from the bottom of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an end view, looking from the left of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end view looking from the right of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section on line 6-6 Fig. 1, and Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail section on line 7-7, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 12 denotes a main or longitudinal bar provided with a handle 13. Fixed to the longitudinal bar 12 is a cross bar 14. Secured to the upper sides of the bars 12 and 14 are longitudinal and cross plates 15 and 16, respectively. The bars 12 and 14 are provided on their upper sides with inclined grooves a for the reception of a sliding bar 17 carrying a cutting blade 18, said sliding bar being overlaid and held in place by the plates 15 and 16. The bar 17 is provided with a stop 17 which will prevent its removal when said bar is fitted with the cutting blades. The outlines of these inclined grooves, in which the cutter-carrying bar 17 is slidingly mounted, are denoted by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

The cutting blade 18 is provided with a screw shank l8 at the top of which is a head or thumb piece which may be in the form of a nut 19 for removably securing the cutting blade in working position but permitting said blade to be removed for sharpening. At the extreme end of the bar 17 is a depending lip or flange 17 affording'a groove 17 for engaging the rim of a can. The longitudinal and cross bars 12 and 14 are each provided on their under sides with a plurality of slightly curved grooves 20 adapted to engage the rims of cans of different sizes, the sliding cuttercarrying bar being correspondingly adjusted, for cutting out the tops of different sized cans.

The longitudinal bar 12 is tapered at its outer end and is constructed with a claw 21 adapted to serve as a tack or nail puller. The cross bar 14 is tapered at its opposite ends so as to provide flattened ends adapted to serve as screw drivers. At the outer end of the handle 13 a tack hammer 23 and a cork screw 24 are mounted, and a ring 25, by which the tool may be hung on a nail, is also preferably provided.

Mounted at the central and crossing parts of the bars 12 and. 14 is a pointed sliding pin 26 provided with a head 27 which may be tapped or pressed upon in driving said pin into the center of a can to be opened by the cutter 18. The pin 26 is preferably constructed with a shoulder 26 which, being a little longer than the hole in which the pin works, will prevent the said pin from being displaced.

The bar 12 is provided with a punch 28 for use in making holes in cans containing a liquid or semi-liquid substance, as light soup or condensed milk.

The bars 12 and 14 are provided with proximate corrugated faces 29 adapting the tool for use in screwing or unscrewing the metal top of a glass ar.

The longitudinal bar 12 is undercut at 29 thus adapting the tool for use as a bottle cap or jelly glass cover remover.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the invention provides a combination tool adapted for a large variety of purposes in domestic use, and therefore very convenient for a householder. The improved tool will of course be made of any suitable metal and will be of any convenient size.

In the use of the improved compound tool as a can opener the slidingly mounted cutter-carrier bar 17 is adjusted to bring the cutter to a proper position relative to the rim of a can to be opened, according to the size of the can, and the punch pin 26 is then driven into the center of the top of the can. The pointed cutter 18 is then driven into the top of the can the rim of which fits in the proper grooves 29, according to the size of the can. A turning movement is then given to the tool on the pivot afforded by the punch pin 26, thus cutting out the top of the can in a wellknown manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent:-

A tool having parts adapted to serve as a can opener and comprising a longitudinal bar, a cross bar fixed to said longitudinal bar, said bars being provided with inclined grooves, a bar slidingly fitting in said grooves and having a cutting blade removably mounted near one of its ends, said blade-carrying bar having a depending lip between which and said blade is a groove to fit over the top of a can, said longitudinal and cross bars being provided on their under sides with a plurality of curved grooves, to fit over the rims of cans of diiferent sizes, and a punch pin mounted at the crossing parts of said longitudinal and cross bars.

LORENZO NORWOOD ANDERSON. 

